Pumpkin Guts
by David001
Summary: Well, this is the last new story I have in my archive. After this you will have to wait until I finish some of the others I have on the go. Total Harm and Mac fluff...again. Fic Recon Board's October Fanfic Challenge.


**Title:** Pumpkin Guts

**Author: **David

**Rating: **K

**Summary:** Pixie's October Fanfic challenge.

**Category:** Humour, Romance H/M

**Completed: **October 4, 2005.

"Can I get a hand here?" Harm asked.

Mac turned at the sound of his voice. He held two huge pumpkins in his arms. She smiled and made her way over two him, taking one of the large, orange vegetables from him. "What are these for?" She asked.

Harm flashed her his million mega-watt smile. "Don't tell me you have never carved a Jack-o-lantern before?"

"She nodded placing the her pumpkin on the table. "Sure I have, but why get two?"

Harm placed his pumpkin onto the table beside hers. "I thought we could carve them together, maybe have a contest. See who can carve the scariest one."

Mac grinned at him. "No contest, Flyboy. I'm an old pro at this; no way you could beat me."

He stepped up beside her, and wrapped his arms around her waist, dropping his head to take her lips with his. "Wanna bet?"

She nuzzled her head up under his chin. "What'll you give me if I win?"

"Whatever you want." He replied slyly.

"Oh, are you sure you want to give me that much wiggle-room?" She asked with a mischievous grin. "I can think of quite a few things I'd like to get from you when I win."

Harm laughed. "_If_ you win, Mac. _If._"

She leaned back and kissed the corner of his mouth. "No _If's _involved, Harm. I _am_ going to win, so you better get used to the idea now."

"Boy, and I thought I was the cocky one?" He swatted her backside and released her.

"It's called confidence, Sweetheart." She said, going over the their recycling bin to fetch some old newspapers, as Harm disappeared into the kitchen. She brought the bundle over to the table and, after pushing the two giant pumpkins out of the way, spread the paper across the surface. Placing one pumpkin on each side of the table she turned as Harm reentered the room–a pair of butcher knives in one hand and two wooden spoons in the other.

"You know," he said with a sly smile. "I think you are underestimating my abilities."

"I never underestimate you, Harm." She winked at him. "But we aren't in the bedroom right now."

His face turned so red he looked like a giant apple. Mac giggled. "What? No witty rejoinder?"

Harm placed the utensils carefully on top of the newspaper covered table, and then turned to face his wife. "You just wait, Marine. We'll see how witty you are after I bet the pants off you."

Mac stepped away from the table and came over to stand beside him. She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, intending to kiss the grin off his face, but he grabbed her wrists and held them fast, keeping her a safe distance away.

"Uh-uh," he said, shaking his head. "You have to beat me first before you can claim the prize." He warned.

Mac put on her best pout. "You're no fun," she said, stamping her foot like a little girl. "See if I ever try and kiss _you_ again."

She pulled her arms away from his grasp and turned away. She took one step before his hand took hers and he spun her around to face him. He pulled her close and enveloped her in his arms, he had a wild, animalistic look in his eyes. Her surprise was squashed as his head came down and he kissed her–it was hard, passionate and utterly irresistible. Slowly, he pulled away and her eyes fluttered open to lock with his. "There's more where that came from," he said gruffly. "But you have to win first."

She smiled. "As if I needed any more motivation. You're going down, Navy."

She came around to her side of the table and took up one of the knives. Harm did the same and they quicky when to work. She cut a small hole in the top of the pumpkin and removed it. Picking up the wooden spoon she rammed it down forcefully into the pumpkin, stirring the contents like they were some smelly witch's brew.

"I think it's already dead, Mac" Harm commented, as he carefully scooped some of the guts out of his pumpkin with his own spoon, placing them neatly on the newspaper covering the table.

Mac shot him a wicked grin and pulled her spoon out of the interior of her pumpkin, taking a large glob of sticky goo and seeds with it. She looked at the clump of pumpkin guts on the end of her spoon, and then at Harm who was making a neat pile of sticky goop beside his own pumpkin. His head was lowered, and it was too good an opportunity to resist. Raising her spoon she flicked it at him, watching with glee as the smelly goo arced gracefully through the air to smack him square in the face.

Mac dropped her spoon and brought her hands to her mouth as she tried unsuccessfully to stifle the giggles that bubbled up from her middle. Harms head came up slowly. The goop dropped off his face, rolled down his shirt and landed with a plop on the corner of the table. One gooey seed stuck to the end of his nose and Mac doubled over as another fit of giggles wracked her body.

Harm reached up slowly, making a show of wiping the gunk from his face. His expression was like stone, but Mac couldn't help but notice that the corners of his mouth were turned up, and he had a vengeful gleam in his eye. He stuck his hand down inside his pumpkin, coming out with a huge glob of guts. "_You_, are a dead woman."

Mac held her arms up in surrender. "Now, Honey, take it easy." She tried to suppress another giggle, but it was no use and it came out as a clipped snort.

"I'll show you easy," he replied.

When he moved it was like a sprinter coming out of the blocks, and Mac did the only thing she could–she ran. Harm was right on her heals as she raced into the living room, waving the glob of pumpkin guts above his head like a bloody sword.

"I am so gonna smoke you, girl," he said as she dashed behind the couch.

"You have to catch me first," she laughed snatching up a blanket off the back of the couch. She turned and held the small woolen sheet in front of her like a shield. The two of them danced around the large piece of furniture, Mac keeping it between them as a make-shift barricade.

Harm feinted left and when Mac moved to the right, his free hand shot out to grab the blanket she held in front of her, snatching it from her grasp. Shocked by his sudden move, Mac fell forward, tumbling over the back of the couch to land in a heap on the cushions. Harm stood before her, a huge grin on his face, and a wicked gleam in his eyes. He leaned down and held the glob of pumpkin guts up a few inches from her face. "Gotcha," he said slowly.

Mac covered her head with her arms, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation, but failing miserably. Harm pulled her to her feet, and with one arm around her waist, he turned her so that she was facing away from him, and then drew her against his body. "Payback time, Marine." He whispered into her ear.

"Uh-uh," she replied, pulling her arms more tightly around her head in a vain attempt to protect herself. "Not gonna happen, Flyboy." She didn't know how long she could keep him at bay, but she damn well wasn't going to just give in and let him win–at least, not yet. "You better stop right now, or I'll never let you kiss me again." She tried to sound as serious as she could.

"Is that so?"

She nodded. "Yes, so you had better just let me go."

"Well," he replied. "I wouldn't want to give up something like that; I don't think I could stand not being able to kiss you." His arm around her waist slackened and he stepped back.

She turned to face him. 'I knew I could get you to see reason," she said quickly, still not one hundred percent sure she could trust him. When his arm holding the pumpkin guts dropped to his side, she relaxed a little. Maybe she had him convinced after all.

"That's not very fair, Mac," he said pursing his lips, "threatening not to let me kiss you anymore."

Mac smiled. "Well, a girl has to do whatever is necessary to protect herself."

"Yeah, I bet she does. You just knew you were beaten and you cheated."

"Maybe, so, but I think I can convince you to accept my terms."

"Is that so?"

"Un-huh."

He stepped closer. "And just what kind of payment are we talking about here?"

Mac reached out to play with a button on his shirt. "Oh, maybe some of that kissing stuff we've been talking about." She grinned when she saw the glint in his eyes. "Would that be acceptable?"

Harm made a big show of pondering her offer, and then smiled. "You drive a hard bargain, but I accept your terms."

Mac flashed him a quick smile and leaned in to kiss him. When his hand came up and mashed the gooey pumpkin guts into the middle of her face she stepped back in shock. "But... we had a deal."

Harm laughed. "Like I would fall for that one, MacKenzie." He leaned in swiftly and kissed her soundly, ignoring the goop dripping from her face. After a moments hesitation, Mac returned the kiss, snaking her arms around his neck. After several minutes they broke apart. "You need to kiss me just as much as I need to kiss you," he said. "There was no way you would deny me that for long."

It was true, and she kicked herself for thinking she could hoodwink him about it. "You know me too well," she said into his shirt. She looked up. "You think we can get back to those pumpkins now? I still have a bet to win."

"I give," he replied, pulling her down onto his lap on the couch, and kissing her fiercely. "You win."

"Like there was ever any doubt." She returned his kiss with equal fervour.

"Don't gloat, Baby. Just collect your prize already; I'm tired of waiting."

And collect her prize she did.


End file.
